Arc 18Madara’s Return and the Jinchuriki
Uzumaki Kuming defeated Madara Uchiha’s attack, confronted Sasuke, and forced the other villages to accept Konoha’s control of the Jinchuriki. As Kuming trained Naruto and managed growing unrest over Karin, Shisui disappeared, and a scroll led Kuming to realize that Shisui’s assassination had failed.
- Madara Uchiha and Pain attacked Gaara and the Sunagakure group, but Obito, Shisui, and Itachi joined the fight and helped recover Gaara before Kuming’s squad tracked the Akatsuki to their hideout.
- Madara Uchiha attacked Kuming, who fought him in his Golden-Armored Nine-Tails form, sealed Madara’s Rinnegan, and killed him before the Masked Man revived him.
- Kuming buried Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato, then helped Mei Terumi search for Sasuke and defeated Sasuke before sending him away to uncover the truth about the Uchiha massacre.
- Kuming refused the other villages’ demands for Konoha’s Jinchuriki, defeated A, Killer B, Yugito Nii, and Ōnoki, and persuaded the Raikage to accept Killer B and Yugito’s decision to remain in Konoha.
- Madara Uchiha attacked Shisui after Shisui met Karui and Omoi, while Kuming trained Naruto and the Jinchuriki to prepare for Madara’s threat.
- Naruto tried to win Chomei’s acknowledgment and then traveled to Mount Myoboku, where he mastered Sage Mode under Fukasaku’s instruction and heard a prophecy about fighting alongside a boy with powerful eyes.
- Karin lost control of Saiken and killed Miyano, prompting protests in Konoha, but Minato took responsibility and refused to punish her.
- Kuming used Karui’s scroll to witness Shisui’s encounter with Madara through genjutsu, realized Shisui had survived the assassination attempt, and left to search for him.